In the past, aviation engineers have utilized aircraft data distribution systems which include numerous and lengthy metal connecting wires for interconnecting the numerous electronic devices aboard a modern aircraft. In such systems, it was commonly accepted as desirable to simplify this wiring interconnect or aircraft data distribution system by including as many as possible, features or functions in any line replaceable module LRM coupled to the system. While this typical approach has been widely accepted in the industry for many years there have been reasons recently to depart from the standard metal connector systems. Consequently, a fiber optic data distribution system is emerging on modern aircraft instead of the metal connecting wire version. With the fiber optic distribution system it became necessary to convert the electrical signals in a device into optical signals so that it could be transmitted over the optical fiber to a distant device where it would be converted back into electrical signals. It was typically accomplished by providing an optical data link (ODL) inside a typical line replaceable module (LRM) which is connected to the system. These LRM's are typically housed in slide in racks and have disposed on their backside blind mateable connectors which connect the backside of the LRM and the back of the cabinet. Typically, the blind mateable optical connectors have been a segment of the overall system which has demonstrated high signal loss. As a result, much work has been done and much effort and money spent to attempt to reduce the signal loss associated with these blind mateable optical connectors.
Consequently, there exists a need to improve aircraft fiber optic data distribution systems which have a reduced signal loss due to blind mateable optical connectors.